Pretty Cool Games was founded by two veterans of the hit title Human: Fall Flat – Sitara Shefta, who now serves as chief executive officer, and Will Dudley, the chief creative officer. Their shared vision is to build a studio that operates sustainably, treats its staff fairly and shares the rewards of success with the whole team. Shefta’s background includes a stint as CEO and studio head of No Brakes Games Tenerife, where she oversaw the development of Human: Fall Flat.
She has recently been appointed to the board of the UK Interactive Entertainment Association (TIGA) and sits on the BAFTA Games Committee, giving her a broad perspective on industry trends and policy. Dudley, a founding member of the Human: Fall Flat team, brings a wealth of experience from previous roles at Sony Interactive Entertainment, Lionhead Studios, Rare and Marmalade Game Studio, where he contributed to a variety of high‑profile projects.
To get the new, fully remote, UK‑based studio off the ground, Pretty Cool Games secured an undisclosed investment from Chinese developer Hypergryph, best known for the popular mobile RPG Arknights: Endfield. Shefta explained to GamesIndustry.biz that raising capital is challenging in the current climate, but the appetite for fresh, innovative games remains strong. "From our very first conversation with Hypergryph, we clicked. They loved our concept, embraced our long‑term studio vision and were enthusiastic about our off‑beat ideas.
The fact that they are game developers themselves, now supporting other creators, made them a natural partner for us," she said. The bulk of the funding is earmarked for the studio’s debut title, a game that draws inspiration from Nintendo’s playful design philosophy, Hazelight’s narrative‑driven co‑op experiences, the immersive storytelling found in Disney theme parks, and the physical comedy of classic films like The Pink Panther. Shefta emphasized the ambition behind the project: "We want to craft something memorable and timeless, a game that brings a smile to players’ faces years after they first played it." Creativity sits at the heart of Pretty Cool Games’ ethos, both for the developers and the players. The upcoming title will give players a sandbox of physics‑based tools and level‑design systems that encourage spontaneous, humorous moments and unexpected solutions.
"By combining the freedom of a physics game with carefully crafted systems and levels, we hope to spark wild, emergent gameplay that lets players express themselves through play," Shefta added. The investment also allows the studio to grow a small, focused team that Shefta intends to keep sustainable over the long term. Currently, Pretty Cool Games employs four full‑time staff members, with plans to expand to ten.
Immediate hires include a lead designer, a level designer, an environment artist and a concept artist. Future contracts will cover QA, character art, audio, UI design and a composer.
"We are keeping the core team lean, ambitious yet realistic about scope," Shefta explained. "We want a studio that treats its people fairly. Recent industry layoffs have shown that success does not always translate into job security for developers. We plan to reward our team through share schemes, so when our games succeed, everyone benefits." Shefta’s goal is to blend the best practices of AAA development – rigorous quality standards and an understanding of what makes an IP thrive – with the agility and experimental spirit of indie studios.
"Working in AAA taught me discipline and the importance of quality, but massive budgets can lead to wasteful decisions and make recouping costs difficult. Indie development lets you iterate quickly, focus on a few core ideas and deliver something special," she reflected. In a smaller team, each individual’s contribution has a larger impact on the final product, a dynamic that Shefta finds creatively fulfilling. "When everyone can shape the game, the process feels more meaningful," she said.
Ultimately, the studio’s mission is to prioritize player enjoyment and employee wellbeing above all else. She acknowledges that launching a new studio will inevitably bring challenges, but she is confident that the collective experience she and Dudley have amassed over the years will guide them. "We’ll rely on our deep industry knowledge and stay true to our commitment to build games the right way," Shefta concluded.
Pretty Cool Games is also actively seeking additional investment and a publishing partner for its inaugural title, aiming to secure the resources needed to bring their ambitious, humor‑infused vision to market while maintaining the ethical and sustainable workplace culture they champion.